Once upon a december
by Harley24601
Summary: Nat never knew her family, who she was or where she belonged. She only knew that she was destined for better and when she met Clint, everything changed. (Clint X Natasha- Anastasia au)
1. Chapter 1- Once upon a December

St Petersburg, 1918

The Romanoff's were a proud and grand family, dating back over 300 years. The Tsar, Dimitri Romanoff married young and in love to the Princess of a neighbouring nation. Together they had 8 children: Anya, Nicholas, Dimitri, Alexander, Elaina, Felix, Isla and the youngest: Natasha.

On a cold winter's night, music and cheer could be heard from the palace of the Romanoff's, meanwhile unrest and anger could be sensed everywhere else in Russia. As the people were angered at the recent decisions of the king, they were working more hours for less money, eating less but paying more and some could barely afford to survive. A revolution was brewing.

Natasha was always the brightest star at parties and balls. She would dance and talk with others, her Uncle Nicholas always tried to be at the Romanoff's parties to spend time with his beloved niece. After a month of staying with them Natasha was heartbroken to hear that Nick was leaving for America again. "Natasha, darling," her father called to her "time for bed, I will get your uncle to walk you to your room."

"Yes Father." Natasha huffed in annoyance.

"Come on Nat," Nick said kindly "I have a present to give you before I leave." Natasha's whole face lit up at hearing this news. Her uncle always gave the best presents: music boxes, ballet shoes and all manner of wonderful things any princess could dream of.

They walked slowly to her room as Natasha tried to convince her uncle that she was not tired. "Nat," Nick said as he crouched down to her level, her soft emerald eyes met his single dark one and the eye patch that he gained whilst fighting in the Great War. He took out a small black box out from his coat pocket and gave it to Natasha. Inside was a small pendant, a ruby cut into an hourglass hanging from a thin silver chain. She put it on and hugged her uncle tightly. That night as she fell asleep she vowed that she would never take it off.

"Do we continue to starve?" someone shouted to the crowd "Or do we fight? Do we take back what is rightfully ours?" Met with the shouts of agreement from the crowd the voice continued "The only way this will happen is with the extinction of the Romanoff's." The mass of people ran towards the palace gates throwing stones at the windows and guards, soon the gates would fall down and the people would have their revenge.

"Princess," the maid shakes Natasha hurriedly "you need to get up."

"Why" Natasha muttered sleepily.

"There are people in the palace with an intent to harm you." She whispered, unless someone heard her and came to hurt the young girl.

Nick suddenly rushed in as his niece put on her dressing gown "The people have stormed the palace, their coming from both sides. We have to find another way out."

"We can go this way." A young kitchen boy said; he lifted up a grand tapestry of embroidered horses to reveal a doorway. Hurriedly they made their way through the door way and ran to the nearest train tracks. The angry mob was not far behind them, obscenities and mentions of treason followed from which ever road they took. A train to the border was travelling next to them, as the urgency to leave the country became more apparent, they were less likely to catch the train, less likely to see each other again, less likely to survive.

"Natasha, quickly." Nick encouraged to his niece. He had made it onto the train safely but he feared for his beloved niece. Natasha ran as fast as her small legs could carry her, her hair a red as a flame soon became lost in the sea of the outraged. Natasha feared for her life, she was surrounded by the very people that wanted to kill her. She was being pushed and shoved until she fell. She felt the cold ground against her in her last moments of conscience; she could hear her uncle calling after her "Natasha… Natasha… Nat." And then there was nothing but darkness.


	2. Chapter 2- A memory from a dream

1928

"Right, you're 18 now" a rough voice said to Nat "I have found a job for you down in the market."

"Do I have to go?" Nat replied "I don't want a job, I want to find my family in New York, and I want to dance."

"And I don't want to look after pathetic orphans like you but here we are. Now get out. You have been nothing but a pain since you arrived, claiming to remember nothing and acting like Cleopatra." The old woman scorned. While Nat thought about her other opportunities she realised that the woman was telling the truth. Nat didn't know her family, where they were, if they were still alive, she didn't even know her own name. But she knew that she was destined for greater.

The road to the market was old cobblestone, with jutting angles and was slippery from the surrounding snow. Rotting leaves clung to Nat's shoes as she walked further to the town where she would spend the rest of her life. Soon Nat reached cross-roads, an old wooden sign split in two read

 _"Market- 0.5 miles_

 _St. Petersburg- 0.8 miles"_

Nat knew she should go to the market, after all the people at the orphanage had been nothing but good to her. And yet there was something pulling Nat towards the right turn of the road, a strange feeling deep down inside of her. _"What if my family is there?"_ Nat thought hopefully. She took out her necklace, the rubies shone in the bright sun, the silver was dented here and there but she had learned to defend herself when Nat owned something that valuable. Whenever Nat was in trouble or felt unable to cope, her necklace gave her a warm sense of comfort, it was almost how she imagined a hug from a loved one felt. "Please," Nat whispered "show me a sign, where should I go?"

At that moment a bright ray of light reflected off of Nat's necklace, a kaleidoscope of colours shone around the forest. However there seemed to be a direct pattern of light pointing towards the right side of the road. Accepting that as a sign Nat ran down the turning feeling free and one step closer to her missing past.

"I wonder where the princess is. Is she still alive Mamma?" a small voice behind Nat whispered.

"Do not say such things darling; do you want us to get thrown in jail?" The child's stern mother replied.

"Sorry Mamma."

Nat walked along the road passing groups of people surrounding red brick buildings and deserted alleyways. Eventually she found her way to the train station; it was an old building with employees who looked close to death, but then again so was most of Russia. Nat lined up in one of the booths and waited patiently until a haggard old voice called "Next."

"Hello," Nat began "I was wondering how to get to New York?"

"Well first you pay for a ticket to France, then you cross over to England and then you take a cruise ship to New York." The old woman said numbly. "First I will need your travel papers."

"My what?" Nat asked.

"Go get your travel papers then come see me." The woman murmured bitterly.

Nat walked away from the booth, she felt as though her heart had been crushed in two, how was she going to get to her family, she didn't even know what documents she needed.

"Psst." A disembodied voice called. Nat looked around until she saw a woman hunched by a magazine booth.

"What?" Nat questioned.

"About your travel papers, go see Clint, Steve and Bucky at the old palace… But you didn't hear it from me okay." The woman said rushed in hushed tones.

Nat walked towards the old building, fading blue and white painting flaked off of the outside walls and many of the windows were boarded up so as to stop thieves. Nat imagined that the palace was once beautiful. As she continued walking Nat was momentarily stopped by a blinding headache and an image of '… _Carriages being pulled by horses, I could see them as far as the horizon, even through the window and thick snow. Music was carried throughout the palace and I wore a gold dress, I was waiting for someone, someone very important to me…'_ Nat suddenly awoke leaning against one of the pillars of the palace.

Nat opened the door cautiously "Hello?" she called out. No one answered, she knew that she shouldn't have trusted that old woman instead she thought that it would be a somewhat dry and warm place to sleep for the night.

Nat walked the lengths of the corridors and eventually came upon an old ball room. There was a grand table at one end with cutlery still set out, although some had gone missing over the years because of looters. Nat made it to the middle of the ballroom where a large painting of the previous Tsar and his family hung on the wall. She looked at the faces; they were all looked so familiar. Nat gazed at the painting feeling a strange mix of nostalgia and longing, but she did not know these people, this was not her life. Nat was suddenly once again over come with that same headache that she felt in the yard…

 _'I'm dancing, dancing with princes, with dukes, I want to dance with the kitchen boy who keeps steeling apples from the table- he sounds fun. I keep walking around talking to people, they ask how my studies are going- I want to talk about ballet. I'm dancing.'_

As Nat fell out of consciousness she fell down and stayed there until…

"Well boys that went awful, we'll never find a Princess Natasha," Clint began saying to his friends "We'll be stuck here forever at this rate."

"Don't be so pessimistic my friend." Bucky said with a soft kind voice "The auditions will go better tomorrow."

The three walked down the halls until they reached the ball room in the center of the palace. It was easier to find their rooms if they went this way. However when the group entered they saw a shock of red hair in the centre of the floor.

Slowly Nat started waking up she noticed three men around her, they were talking or were they whispering she couldn't tell. "I'm telling you she looks exactly like the Princess, like the old Queen." one said.

"That's impossible, the real princess is probably dead." Another stated as though it was obvious.

Finally the last of the men said "Either way, I'm sure she could be useful."

A/N- Hey I hope you enjoyed, I'll try to update as regularly as I can.

-Harley xx


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